Big 12 Football schedule release & K-State women's hoops chatter (S2//E46)

it's a great day you have to be on cocaine to be in this podcast oh damn let's [Music] go hi otter hi [Music] otter God I hate the collars on these shirts mute yourself what's up everybody you're listening to yet another edition of cocaine Willie I'm your commissioner Bob trolls be and as always I'm joined by my co-host the good Chef Andre Napier and Fireball Matt Marini this the second episode we're recording this week and this one we are going to be focusing on women's Hoops who's coming off of a two- game losing streak at the hands of Oklahoma and Texas Texas and we'll be talking about the football schedule release for The Big 12 which came out what two weeks ago now something along those lines but we've got thoughts and we're going to share those but let's start on the women's side so really frustrating couple of losses here coming off of a season where you hadn't lost a game with the exception of that Iowa game in the in the Holiday Tournament around Thanksgiving so you're coming off of a really long winning streak you hit you hit that speed bump you obviously don't have a yoka Lee um but I do think we've seen some really competitive matchups here and with the exception really of the Texas game until the end where they really showed their fight and their grit to get back in that one it was just too little too late unfortunately but really some pretty close games some pretty close matchups how are you feeling about the women's team knowing that they've dropped a couple here but we're looking forward to aoka probably coming back soon at least within the next two to three weeks I would say and a fairly favorable conference schedule I would say hopefully I I feel pretty strong I mean those were two tough games that that they fell in you know the Texas game man it they just punched Us in the mouth right from the very beginning and it was it was hard to recover because were we playing with fire in those games without I in the win streak without ioka Lee I would say yeah I mean we s that b game for instance we were down came back and got the dub these games we just weren't firing on all cylinders and when you get down in a hole without your star player it's tough man and and the games we were playing are tough so like you said the the game's coming up very much favorable so you want to keep this lead in the Big 12 you want to keep well are we are we not first place anymore did Oklahoma pass us up Oklahoma passed him up and K State's currently a half game back on OU damn those sooner girls are good too sooner girls are good I I I just can't for the life of me figure out who who did they play in the noncon that that do that to them because they are good yeah I mean there's some favorable pieces for K State in the last portion of their schedule um knowing that Oklahoma albeit they are hosting Baylor and they host Texas um they still have both those teams on their schedule for the rest of the season Kate's last seven games are Iowa state will be tough um because they were ranked um at one point and they go on the road there um in a couple weeks having this break though is absolutely huge um I know there were some Rumblings AOK was um practicing albeit just not necessarily in a very limited capacity so it does make it seem like the capability to come back is going to be there maybe sooner than we think I think it would be huge if we can get her back for the Iowa State game on the road um if they can win against Iowa State on the road really the only other tough game it would be a West Virginia team who is ranked in the top 25 coming to Manhattan but they do go on the road to Kansas um later in February so the it's still the Big 12 is still there um the one seed I think is still there the way that I am looking at this though is this team is getting experience without a yoka Lee and that is only going to help them once she comes back and this team gets into March we know what this team has been able to do with aoka Lee and we've seen what this team has done without her I mean they went on the road to Baylor and won in a in a very much a classic game there the Oklahoma game they they were in that game for the entire time and um Oklahoma really fought to win that that game in the end they made some plays at the end there that we did not um the Texas game I really did not feel confident that they were going to be able to pull that out because Texas has been on a little bit of a tear here recently um and despite the fact that they won in Manhattan they're a very very good team um they're they're a very good team so the the schedule was very attainable for them but I think it's the long game that we should be looking at at this point this is a team that could very much make it to the final four they really could depending on their draw um yeah so I this is a team that uh we should just continue to kind of be in awe with I mean this is not happened for K State um on the women's side in a very very very long time so uh there's definitely a lot more them to play for it's I want I just wanted to say because we we talk about ioka Le coming back a little earlier than expected possibly you know it is a lower body injury she has dealt with the not necessarily this injury but lower body injuries in the past um I'm not not entirely sure I want to rush her back um the Big 12 would be nice to obtain a big 12 title would be great I think we've basically locked up um hosting the NCA tournament in Manhattan so I think you know would it be fair to say that the a trip to the final four or a national champion championship for All For You Know Heaven's Sake is a bigger goal than winning you know a regular season title in basketball I don't know if I would rush her back to try to make ground on that half game that Oklahoma has that's just me because I this is a lower body injury will she be 100% she is a low post player in women's basketball they are um for all intense of perfect Lumber they they're they're lumbering so it's I don't know if ID rush her back she's that's not her game to not have her legs completely underneath her and to not be at full strength so I would want to have her completely healed up and be ready for uh NCA tournament ioka lead that could make us have a run rather than you know for God's Sak that she doesn't you know be 100% and something else happens I think I agree with you and and the other thing I want to point out is in a couple of these games not every single one of these games but Eliza moin come in and and done a really good job fulfilling that role granted I'm not really sure I didn't get to watch the whole Oklahoma game but I'm not really sure what went wrong there why she didn't get in the OU and in the BYU games why she didn't get more points really but you've got to match up against a really tough Baylor Squad she scored 16 and then you've got a match up again against that that tough Texas Squad on the road scoring 18 points and and four rebounds so she's had some good stat lines but what do you think went wrong in the BYU and OU games for her at least and how she was utilized in those games for I don't go ahead go ahead no I was just gonna say from the OU perspective so Jazelle Sanchez was really good in that game and um you kind of had to be in a position where um taking her out of the game game stalled the offense at some points um she was kind of a little bit of a matchup problem for U and because of that you'll see that the the minutes for Eliza you know didn't necessarily correlate in that game um so the thing that is really nice about really nice is is not a great way to put this the the Silver Lining with the injury itself is you're seeing ladies step up in certain games depending on what game and you're kind of seeing okay who do we have so um you know thinking about like the BYU game was an example where I mean Jazelle Sanchez she had 18 points in that game I mean she was very solid and I felt in that game that I mean they shot so poorly on the offensive end in that game and BYU was shoot shot 47% you would assume that BYU was probably going to win that game and it took some kind of big plays towards the end of that game you know and and you know making the winning plays to get that to get to that one but the OU game was one where these teams were so matched together the entire game um and you know Jazelle Sanchez she had 18 points in that game um but you know coming off the bench like Eliza mopin played 15 minutes in this game but she didn't have a lot of opportuni shooting um you know it just it's all dependent on kind of where those matchups were so um the the Baylor game showed she's going to be I think a pretty good talent for us not just at the end of this year but in the next year whatnot um which is which is exciting um but hey you know that the two losses this past week I mean I I think we would have probably thought this team would have lost at Baylor and lost at Texas anyway um so they wanted Baylor you know you just you kind of take what you're given and um when AOK Lee comes back that's when you're truly going to kind of see what the end of The Season's going to hold it's like you said it was the matchups you know she's an athletic Marvel really and and she develops an outside shot it's it's really going to be hard to guard her Ian Sanchez was it it could be her role what Sanchez is doing right now in replace of iok so she's young still she's young so I I wouldn't expect her to you know like just light up the scoreboard in it every night you know she has her roles and that BYU matchup was weird because their their post their post was she was shorter it felt like I felt like she was shorter but she was a stockier girl and it was it almost nobody could had the matchup for her she was out there she was Bing us it was I think she had over 20 rebounds um it was something to to see and I I don't think it mattered who was out there but I think it was just a team effort really we had to play smaller to counteract like all the spacing that they had to deal with it was it was weird game but we pulled it out but like Matt said the silver line is all these players are getting experience so it depth in the future is going to be something that we could use as a weapon versus a lot of teams I think one of the other keys to think about in the last two games and you can include the BYU game in this Gabby Gregory is four of 28 shooting in those three games um she has not gotten her groove offensively um I somebody some people have said that you know she might be getting over something she might be hurt um but she's an important player and you know we saw at the end of the Baylor game or at least in the second half of the Baylor game she kind of flipped a switch and was able to make some shots on the outside but also getting inside um in the paint uh but four for 28 is is a little bit of a tough statline to look at um and think that you know if you look at the talent on this team who Maybe consider from an importance you know who really needs to be playing really well she's one of those players that does have to improve um on the on the offensive end so we'll see hopefully this week um is also giving you know giving the ladies a little bit of time to like relax maybe some legs here and um you know just get ready I mean for kind of the last seven games of the Season you know the fact that there's a bye like this is is huge just kind of recuperating so so um hopefully it's not just for aoka Lee um but it's also for everybody else um and kind of getting them set for the last seven games so looking at the big picture the team's 20 and3 overall they're n-2 in the conference they're number eight or number seven in the country right now depending on which poll you look at but in the broader conference picture they're a half game back of Oklahoma right now there are six or seven teams that are in contention I would say when you look at the standings right now you've got Oklahoma K State West Virginia Texas Iowa State Baylor and Texas Tech I don't know if any of those other bottom teams would would really be able to make a run necessarily and there's a lot more disparity on the women's side than there is in men's from top to bottom not necessarily the top six or seven but from top to top top to bottom than there than there is in the on the men's side so just thinking about the big picture thinking about where the women's team is at where does this team end up by the time conference play wraps up do you think they're going to get one of those first round buys in the in the tournament in Kansas City or you know are they going to be are they going to be playing a little sooner than we think I think it I think it's set that we're I think we're a talented team I think we're going to be a especially like we said the the schedule favors us a little bit I think this Oklahoma State game that's coming up I think we can handle that one Oklahoma's got TCU those are the two teams that I think are battling and out because you know the other teams are going to be playing catchup Baylor's basically out of it uh it's I think we're a lock for having a Buy in the Big 12 tournament and especially if we get healthy I think we could win the conference it's still it's still there for grabs as much as I just pooed the idea of winning the conference I think that's still very much on the table so the goals for this team I don't maybe two more losses I best case scenario I I think that's very much doable I think that I think they'd only get really one more loss out of the seven um just because I do think the the conference is a little bit topheavy um when you think about Baylor and Texas and K State are the top three now West Virginia is kind of sneaking up there because um they do have two losses in the conference um so that is something kind of to to consider and keep in mind um I I like K State's chances though uh in these last seven games um and again I mean your your toughest games are probably going to be Iowa State and Kansas on the road um and this team has shown the capability to win on the road so um you know it's just who's going to be playing um and and I think that's the key portion um I'll probably say right now that the Iowa State game on the road if AOK is not back that's going to be a pretty tough game because Iowa state does have a center that is a matchup problem for us unless AOK is playing um so the same thing could be said about KU I mean their their Center is top tier as well Supporting Cast is nowhere near as much I I just and you brought up West Virginia how they're Rising I honestly haven't seen a single game of West Virginia and they're 20 and two so it's they might not have played anybody but honestly they they have a record that screams that it's it's gonna be a tight one I haven't seen a single one of their games though yeah and um just something for everybody to think about as this uh the end of Big 12 play goes in the Big 12 basketball tournament for the women this season um they're playing it at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City this season and the championship is on a Tuesday night um which is the first day of the men's tournament at T-Mobile Center so um especially for K State I mean with the expectation they could they could go long uh if they do get a double buy um they could their first games could be Saturday uh March 9th which would happen to be fake Patty's Day so tough tough for everybody yeah and the same day is the Iowa State game right at the end men's team y yeah that'd be tough but uh so looking at the upcoming slate you've got the byee this week essentially and then you're going to reconvene on Saturday versus Oklahoma State then you're at Iowa State on the 14th on Valentine's Day so gonna be really interesting to see those next couple of games and and how things round out there will we see Yoki return who knows more to come there moving on let's chat football Big 12 schedule release so couple of weeks back now uh the conference released the Matrix and and who's going to be playing who but when was we we knew who was going to be on the record but we didn't know how the record set up for us who we who we start conference play with when you know if it's going to be a Friday night game Thursday night game any of those wild cards were going to be thrown out there so the schedule's been released we know who K State's going to play and when and it starts with UT Martin at home on August 31st then we're going on the road at tane in New Orleans September 7th this was an interesting piece but you're playing either Friday September 13th or Saturday September 14th versus Arizona in a non-conference match up against a conference opponent which is going to be very strange and we'll see I just hope that it doesn't piss us off by the end of the season if we're in a tight conference race uh then you're opening on the road in conference play against BYU and Provo on September 21st then your final game before your first buy because you have two buys is against Oklahoma State at home on September 28th then you get your bye week then you've got at CU October 12th at West Virginia two mountain towns but different ends of the different coasts of the United States against West Virginia on the 19th of October then you are at home again homecoming October 26 against KU on the road at Houston November 2nd you get your second by week and then you final three games come at home against Arizona State on the 16th of November at home against Cincinnati on the 23rd of November and then farmageddon Thanksgiving rivalry week game November 30th at Iowa State so what are your thoughts on how the schedule lays out where the buys are in relation to wh which opponents kind of surround those buys just what are your initial thoughts what a schedule I I um here's here's my overall thought on this knowing the knowing the teams who we were going to be playing and and I already felt we had a pretty attainable schedule um when thinking of competing for a big 12 title um we have some pieces to replace but in reality so does every other team in the Big 12 right um and every other team nationally but going on the road at BYU for the first Big 12 game is I think really good um I don't necessarily think BYU is going to be too good of a team this season um so kind of starting off starting off on the road um I'd rather start off against what who could be perceived as maybe an average team in the Big 12 um but having the Oklahoma State game early in the season um kind of the bye before you go on the road to Colorado um I there's I look at this schedule I know we'll talk about like maybe what we think are uh our record is going to be but there's a lot that I like about it um the scariest game for me is the one in Iowa State on the road um all things considered uh the last game of the season um but that game could have a lot to be playing for and for that to be on the road like the last game does scare me a little bit and a game they'll probably be blackout it'll be a blackout game some annoying [ __ ] like that so uh overall I mean it's it's a it's a fun schedule um it really is knowing that we only have you know the number of home games that we do so uh will be very very fun that's the word I was going to use I was going to use fun you know it's different destinations you know some I mean especially nonon you know it's it's fun going to New Orleans I think that's going to be that's going to be electric I think it's going to be a cool atmosphere you know they they tain's been hosting a lot of bigname schools up in that venue and uh Kate's just going to be one of them that lies into town and handles business I I I think uh Colorado you know that's significant for me because more than likely I'm gonna be there actually I will be there uh but there's a back half of the schedule this is where you know if we survive if we survive the front half of that schedule KU is the toughest matchup in my opinion as much as as much as we want to give uh KU [ __ ] man in they are licking their chops to try to get one in Manhattan with a new quarterback for us and they're supposedly gonna have Jaylen Daniels ready to go so we'll see good on good that's the one that I'm looking forward to the most especially in that back half because obviously I think Arizona is the team that I'm looking at in the front half of the schedule that will be the real barometer of how good this team could be I know it doesn't affect our conference schedule um but in terms of what this team could be a Friday in Manhattan or I I'm pretty sure it's going to be a Friday game why I say the or if not I think it's going to be Friday that probably a stand stand alone game on maybe ESPN who knows that is going to be the litus test to see where this team can go how far we can go what Avery is really working with and you know we're g to be rolling by then and if we have the momentum to you know off of Arizona win punch BYU in the mouth and then it's our old favorite uh Oklahoma State but last time we played him we throttled him in Manhattan so maybe it's a repeat of that and we could be if we're talking six and0 dude I'm it's spooky season it is spooky season yeah yeah the way that that schedule sets up I you could very very realistically be saying we we start the season six and0 I good friend of mine was going through a lot of the numbers on like if you win or lose your season open opener what that means for the rest of the season let's just say the cats need to win the season conference like the conference season opener on the road because if you lose that it's gonna be scarier than spooky season in a bad way and we don't need that to happen yeah I agree you know but just I don't really know anything about what happen to any of these teams in the off season because you know Arizona needs has a new coach it's not you know I mean I know what happened but like are say Houston has a new coach has a new offensive coordinator meet Arizona in the beginning of the Season meet meeting Arizona in the beginning of the season I think is g to be a blessing because yes I believe they're a very very good team but they're talented they are talented it's going to take a hot second for them to kind of get their stuff together and and that's a team that I wouldn't want to play at the end of the year I mean I I look at you know teams kind of historically in the Big 12 there programs that I feel like get off to slow starts and then kind of move on towards the end of the season and they get their [ __ ] together um Arizona seems like one of them that it's going to take a little bit for them to get together but that's I mean they have at probably the top third they have a top three quarterback in the Big 12 right now sorry I almost fell yeah medicine ball medicine ball uh but they would probably have the top three quarterback in the Big 12 right now and that instantly you could definitely say that yeah instantly you know that gets you in games right so it's just what are they gonna do with their head I mean they they had lost their head coach I mean there's a lot of turmoil within that program I know they kept a a lot of players but you know when you change head coaches that that does things to a team and I don't know who they play in the who they play in the noncon before they play us but I mean we can't look ahead to them because we got tane and tane you know they're I'm 0 and one versus tane in my lifetime so yeah uh that's not great so I I want Redemption for that I think that bolsters Matt's point though because because yeah because they don't have a they I mean well they do have a head coach but it's not the same guy I think it's going to take them some time to get their [ __ ] together similar to how they did this season even it took them a minute to really really click they dropped a couple games early that they probably wouldn't have dropped if they were playing at the level that they were at the end of the season so I I love how this schedule sets up I I like that the Rogue game against Colorado is after the bye you're you're also going to get the game against Colorado after already having played a game at elevation so you're going to know what kind of adjustments you need to make as a staff and and how you're handling practices and stuff with the bye prior to going and making another trip out to elevation are they are they coming off of a buy as well they might be let me double check that because if they're not you know this is early enough in the season where Colorado still could be playing for something I don't think they'll necessarily be checked out because uh you know they're transfer mongers they they invest a lot in the transfer portal so if if half their roster is checked out because they're God I don't know what what their schedule sets up but like if they're not playing for anything it's still early where they could be playing for but they could still also be checked out they they do have a buy the same week that we do but they they also have a fascinating schedule they start the season with North Dakota State and I've got a buddy at work who is telling me he's pissed off that they scheduled that game as we all know how that can go first game of the season then they play Nebraska who's going to have a five-star quarterback and might be turning things around with Matt rule this season based on how they've attacked nil in the portal who knows they're GNA be saltier than they were last year and this game has been competitive in years past I'm just worri you know that team is going to be ultra talented in Colorado in Boulder so yeah you know that's a game that could be if you were to ask me very Bosco's boy style what's the the pendulum game or the swing game or whatever you want to call it I'm gonna say it's Boulder I think that is like the the Hedge Point into the second half of the schedule that if you if you get that one you know they're going to have all all the attention in the world on them you get that one you're you're still in the chase you're still God knows what our season looks like but that is a very important one versus an ultra talented team I would agree I I would probably say that one too and quite frankly if you go into that game and you you're five and0 I mean we'll probably be preseason ranked top 25 so at that point you're probably a top 15 team going into Boulder so um I just think chalk it up it's probably gonna be some 10 AMS kickoff which is annoying but yeah um yeah the Colorado game will be interesting I there I believe that Nebraska game is on the road right it's in Lincoln yeah so and that's a that Colorado team could also go 0 and two in that first start like North Co and they're playing UCF on the road the week before they're by that's that's a tough road trip and UCF is floating up in the portal this year too yeah UCF is going to be dangerous I mean just KJ Jefferson he he's as much uh as people say that he's a giant tight end that plays uh quarterback I think he fits Gus Malon system to a T I think it's gonna be I'm I'm glad I am very much glad that we don't have to face them same because it because realistically of the newcomers that are on this schedule Arizona is the scary well you know I just spoke about Colorado so I'll probably say Colorado and Arizona for me are kind of like depending on because you said we got Arizona early enough but we also have Colorado who if they're peing and you know they they've done a miraculous job the the electricity around that program could be something that is hard to overcome but we got lucky I mean Houston Willie Fritz is a good coach but I it's just that roster is just hurt it's just beat up Dana hogerson didn't give a [ __ ] at at the end of that uh Arizona State probably arguably the worst team in the conference we get them at home it could be very similar to what we did this year with the the newcomers where we're like 50 burger and well we didn't 50 Burg and but we we shut out a good chunk of those teams where they're not good so we we handled them and I feel like that's what could happen with a lot of these teams I don't know if we'll do that to you know Dion prime prime time Dion but uh I think we can handle a lot of this this schedule is not hard man this is the time to do it if it this the storylines would be insane what what could you do with Avery Johnson if he's undefeated going into Boulder Colorado playing Dylan Edwards his childhood teammate and friend oh man I forgot all about Dylan Dylan Edwards welcome to the Big 12 uh what do you think record prediction you look at the schedule today it's February it's February 2024 where do you see this record going because I I looked at this and at an initial glance I was thinking maybe one or two losses and and I would be looking at any one of four or five games where those could come but it kind of depends on you know Arizona game early it doesn't have an implication on Conference standings necessarily but if you they're gonna be good team they're a really talented team so that game I feel like on paper could go either way you've got the BYU zombies who if that ends up being a night game or whatever good luck getting out of Provo that's going to be a really tough matchup especially if we play them at night on the road then you've got Colorado again there's a lot of question marks there we don't really know what that team's going to look like because it's basically the same situation as last year they've completely flipped their offensive line they've completely flipped their offensive coaching staff so we don't really know what we're gonna see necessarily and West Virginia they're pretty salty they had a damn good damn good season last year Neil Brown saved his job KU is going to be scratching and clawing to try to make this as competitive as possible and [ __ ] Iowa State and farmageddon is always going to be Farm again it's always going to be [ __ ] weird so those are the games that I'm concerned about but I feel confident that this team will win 10 games I do I like it I I you gave me both sides of the coin there because you you scared the hell out me I forgot all about Morgantown having to go there off of good they W they're a good team I but I'm gonna say nine and three you know it's Avery Johnson's team but you know he still is a first year quarterback he hasn't thrown an interception as a college player he eventually mistakes will happen with him you know unless they don't and he's the greatest to ever do it so I'm GNA say nine and three though I think I think there will be some learning curves but I think it'll be Arizona that gets us I think I think Arizona gets us I think Iowa state gets us and I think West Morgantown gets us wow I think we're gonna be looking ahead to you know I think we're going to be looking ahead to KU I think that's a a you know a brutal one where you're you're coming off of a Road game in Boulder going on a road game to Morgantown across the country one week time it's gonna be tough It's not like where you could just it's not like you're in Texas and you have another road game in Texas it's across the country for God's sakes right before your bitter rival that one's gonna be tough man to come off of I think Arizona is going to be salty I just think they're going to be a salty Bunch like said they got the third best quarterback in the a top three quarterback in the the league and then Iowa State it's just I hate them so much but they just they have a curse on us right now and I don't like them well as everybody knows I'm like the most pessimistic of the three of us but I think this team goes 11 and one oh do it to me baby I do um I I'm putting a lot in I'm putting a lot of stock in the offense improving even though the offense was pretty good this season um I think Dante cus coming in changes the game just a little bit and um we saw Keegan Johnson towards the end of the season able to make some plays obviously jce brown but I think we're going to see a little bit of a different style of offense coming through and we're going to see some more opportunities in the passing game and if we're going to be in a position where maybe we score 35 points a game something like that I I really see this offense kind of improving and there's question marks on defense but I will say this they they have brought in some guys that I think are going to help fill some of those holes in a good way and I just think the Big 12 there's a lot of capability in the Big 12 this season we're not playing Utah we're not playing UCF um I I I see one loss on the schedule and I think it's probably Iowa State like I really do I think this team can go really far um [ __ ] Baylor 2012 yeah yeah but look if you're 11 and one I think that's enough to get you to a conference Championship game and from that from from there you get okay automatic qualifier and I think 11 I think 11 and one top six R conference conference you're right yeah I mean 11 and one will get you in a in a conference Championship and you know depending on how the year plays out you could still be in the top 12 you know from a you know I guess top 11 from a playoff perspective too so I'm just pretty high on this team I I'm and I'm not even I'm not high right now like I I'm just high on this team you know I I think they could could really go far um but there's definitely lot of play things at play I mean you're the road game at tane we we probably I feel a little bit better than that just because Tan's gonna be rebuilding you know with some guys and with a new coaching staff coaching staff that this coaching staff has seen already with Troy yeah correct so um I I I feel I feel pretty decent about that and yeah I mean yeah if we're talking team right now I mean I loved your break break down of the wide receivers I think defensively we've filled a lot of gaps I think we could still use I think we'll still see some spring time stuff be added in uh when the spring portal opens up uh contributors for depth and things of that nature but you know hot take time uh statistically I think Garett Oakley is gonna have a better season than Ben cinate did so wow I like it you know I like his I like his ability I think he's going to be uh he's undoubtedly going to be the number one tight end uh you know I think Garrett Oakley had his moments where Ben Sate wasn't uh wasn't available uh and Garett Oakley filled those roles so I think Garrett Oakley has got some big shoes to fill but I think he's going to surpass some of those shoes statistically maybe not impact wise like I think cuz you said the offense is going to be so much better and more Dynamic I think that it's not going to look like he's doing much more but I think statistically I think he's going to Sur plant that and then you you brought the receivers and then running back uh DJ gens with another year where under his belt where he's undoubtedly the number one what do we look like behind him will be a big test of what we can do going forward be not having to rely on Avery Johnson's legs where we can have a stable running backs but I think man let me tell you if what we're hearing about like people in just workouts I think we're going to be we're GNA be happy I think we're going to be happy I think we're going to be we're gonna be top of the 12 nine and three my ass I'm with you let's go let's go one loss that didn't take that didn't take much I guess we're good salesmen away games so you've got some interesting away games to places we've either never been before or places that has been a long time since we've been there like Boulder what are some of the away games you're circling I know all three of us have Colorado on that list but outside of that one what are some of the away games you're circling if if I'm just jumping in kicking this off I would say the BYU game is going to be one that a lot of Kate fans are going to try to make the trip for just because it's the first time that we're playing out there especially in conference I we may have never played inovo I would have venture to guess we probably haven't but all that's to say I think Tain is another exciting place to get to visit and and we'll probably have a lot of fans at Houston I'm not saying that's an exciting place to go but we'll probably have a lot of case Staters there yeah I think those bring on the cougs the Cs yeah I think those are GNA be I mean which cougars are you talking about the Houston cters yo do I do I look like Zack Wilson I mean come on hou I mean you're you're going to be right in the backyard I think that's going to be the sleepiest atmosphere that we're gonna see yeah uh quite possibly and that could be to our detriment you know it's going to be an 11 o'clock kick guaranteed uh in Sleepy Houston I don't know how many fans will have there but I don't think Houston's going to have very many so that could be a problem it's like playing in the Lloyd Noble Center in basketball you have to bring your own energy and that can be that could be a tough thing to do yeah um yeah I mean the Colorado and the Houston games um those are games that I'm planning on attending so um for me automatically those get circled um I mean I you know the the other games that are on the road are are tests so um you know BYU admitting League it's you know that's consistently a tough environment to play in um despite them not being good so uh I mean we're seeing we're gonna be seeing Jerry Bohanan again most likely yes correct always always exciting seeing the Baylor castoffs going to BYU um but yeah no I the Colorado game I think is the one that I'm uh I'm excited for I think that's going to be a hot ticket too um I know a lot of cat fans are circling that one um it's their homecoming got to put in a lot of preparation I think to to be able to go to that this year but um yeah I'll definitely be in Houston hopefully with a lot of other cats fans for that game I wish I mean we have the Colorado game Circle but Morgantown obviously would be my go-to destination if if I wasn't planning that trip so Morgantown is I mean when's the last time time we were there was that covid been a while was it will will no or was it the Big 12 title it was yeah 20222 yeah we just didn't play him last year but 2022 in Morgantown I don't think that's very fair I think they should be here but you know that's up to the schedu makers but you know that is a spooky place to play when uh morgant Town's jumping when when they got a thing to cheer for it is a they they have they got their student sections behind cages it's nuts there's they fence them in they're crazy like rabbit animals yeah something like it they they probably have rabies to be honest I mean West Virginia they're it's West Virginia yeah it's West Virginia we're talking about skin hats that'll do it to you I did have a question pop up while we were talking about this I didn't realize or put this together but the only trip this team takes to the state of Texas is against Houston how do you feel about that do you think that's going to have some sort of a recruiting implication knowing that we like to recruit Texas and typically it it helps to bring in guys and say hey you're not gonna you're gonna get an opportunity to play Closer To Home against Houston TCU Baylor whoever yeah I think it it does hurt especially for you know those Road games in Texas when they're in their recruiting bases is a time for them to you know sneak out and see some high school football on the road and all that stuff but what also hurts is that we only have five what do it is it five home games six home games but you know five one of them could be uh a Friday game where there's no way that they're going to be able to see high school recruits are going to be able to make it into town uh with high school football going out so just recruiting in general is going to you know it's not a very fun year for Taylor Brett to like figure out how recruiting is gonna go with you know limited Texas games and basically only five games where they can have kids on campus so unless we lock up linoln cure oh well I don't want I don't want to put my eggs in one basket but you know that is the truth right there he's I think he's he's already got some crystal ball so the Cure is the cure is here um I I don't play too much into the Texas thing um this is the way that the new Big 12 is going to be um and albeit Texas is a big recruiting platform but you see some of the guys that we've been pulling out of Florida and Georgia and you know it's I I feel like recruiting is a little bit of a different game now because uh it is yeah you could consider to be nice that you're playing in a a big state like Texas but I mean that's not the reality of the situation anymore and you know now you're Arizona I mean we got two Arizona schools and we've recruited guys at Arizona in the past um Colorado all of it all of it you know it it's just changed with the nil and um kind of the transfer portal and and all these different things so um I I don't know I don't play too much into it anymore like I I would say maybe like five years ago um when we knew that Texas was a huge recruiting hoped the guys that we are pulling out are from Kansas I mean a lot of the guys are coming from Kansas and Missouri and um and and places like that so I don't know I mean I would love to them to play more in Texas because then I could go see them but obviously can't even get TCU for the next two years yeah that's tough and and Texas Tech were not playing for the first time in a really really long time it feels like so it's going to be weird not having those on the schedule but I you know the the recruiting aspect of it is is what it is um looking just around the league looking at other other Big 12 teams a lot of firsttime matchups or or matchups that haven't been had for quite some time uh we obviously have a couple of firsttime matchups like against BYU U but just looking around the league a couple of matchups what I would just want to know which ones stick out to you um for me I've got two or three here the first one is Arizona at Texas Tech that's an old Border conference rivalry old matchup uh it's going to be about halfway through the season so it should be at an interesting point in time for both of those teams too will Texas Tech live up to Joey Maguire's hype finally at some point or or will it just be more of the same kind of you know average to above average that we've seen the last couple of years out of them BYU you at Utah you've got the the Holy Wars is a conference game again but for the first time in a power conference that's going to be later in the season on uh November 9th so that's going to be a bye I think for K State so we'll be we'll be able to tune into that one without any kind of distraction and then Utah and Oklahoma State those are two Com or those are two teams that in their respective conferences have always been kind of in the top three top four top five here the last couple of years and our preseason or or finished the season ranked top 25 for this past season so those are two really good teams that I think are going to be part of the mix for the conference Championship race and to see who's going to make it to Arlington so so that one's going to Intrigue me it's a little earlier in the season which I think will be fascinating to see how that impacts the season of both of those teams but that's kind of a heavyweight Collision really to to cap or to start off conference play pretty early on there yeah um a game that I have circled uh going back to Arizona so Arizona on the road at Utah um I'm expecting Arizona and Utah to be two of the top five teams in Big 12 uh this season obviously from the Pack 12 perspective and thinking about kind of a little mini rivalry that probably will start up um just because these teams have history uh but I mean Arizona again with their talented quarterback going on the road at Utah who I I would probably put at least for right now is probably going to be the preseason number one team in the Big 12 um I would be kind of surprised if it was anybody other than Utah that's just my thought um and then you had mentioned Utah at Oklahoma State but Oklahoma state is another team that I mean they're riding Allan Bowman in his ninth year in college um Oklahoma state is I mean they were a top two team in the Big 12 this season so um they have some people they are going to have to replace but again having a Utah team go on the road to still water that should be a really fun game um again with two teams that will probably be preseason top five Big 12 teams they did lose a quarterback to Alabama to the transfer portal I don't know if you guys saw that but okay that was that was a joke that did not actually happen oh Gunner Gundy is not going to Alabama where's he going I don't know but not Alabama that was a joke I thought Chef what other conference matchups are intriguing to you I mean with just the new teams because I mean you guys basically rattled them all off but you know I'm always for me I like the Cincinnati West Virginia matchup I don't know if they're are they playing this year I'm pretty sure they're playing this year but uh we could look that up but but that for me just regionally for selfishly those are always like that is a a contentious a contentious rivalry that you know not a lot of people talk about because that's a was that an old Big East matchup and it it's just it's nasty it's nasty nasty stuff you know lot of uh what you guys would call fake midwesterners battling it out in some uh poverty time Cincinnati yes let's go well I think that's all we've got for tonight we're gonna we're going to go ahead and leave you here but uh if you have any thoughts on the the Big 12 Conference schedule definitely let us know shoot us a tweet shoot us a message shoot us a comment whatever wherever make it happen for all of us here at cocaine Willie thank you for listening to the show on your podcast feeds or watching us on YouTube Shakira Shakira do us a favor if you're listening on Apple or Spotify podcast leave us a festar rating and follow the show and if you're watching on YouTube give us a like on the video and subscribe to the channel quick PSA once again we did this on the earlier episode this week but you've heard of college football realignment now get ready for college podcast realignment coming soon there will be a new college sports community and we are proud to announce that cocaine Willie will be the official kstate representative in that Community stay tuned for more details here in March April you can follow the show on Twitter Instagram or Tik Tok or follow us individually I am at Bob trolls Fireball Matt is matat Marini and Chef is at Chef Andre Napier Chef we kept it under an hour take us out I can wait another five minutes and keep it to an hour oh but cocaine's a hell of a drug baby we are all Coke and no joke wcat country let's freaking ride man let's ride ride what's right